Former Franklin schools official says federal funds were misused for private dissertation

FRANKLIN TWP. — A former school official here is claiming she was fired in 2009 after she refused to misuse federal funds meant to help disadvantaged students.

Dr. Jean Gordon, who served as supervisor of curriculum and instruction for Franklin Township public schools, is suing former superintendent Michael G. Kozak, the school district and the board of education.

Kozak was hired by the district three years ago but resigned as superintendent in December. He left the district altogether when his contract expired June 30.

Gordon claims Title 1 funds were used to pay teachers helping the then-superintendent with a private dissertation he submitted to Rowan University. The teachers’ contributions were made during regular school days, the suit says.

That dissertation, accepted by a Rowan committee, is now being sold by Barnes & Noble. Entitled, “The Role of the Superintendent in Developing Formative Assessments in a Public School Setting,” it is being sold for $32.34, and rented for $26.46, on the bookseller’s website.

A vague summation on the website says the dissertation aims to get teachers to use assessment methods to improve instruction. It’s the product of data collected during classroom “observations” of four third grade teachers in two New Jersey elementary schools.

It also includes interviews of the teachers before and after the study, among other methods.

Title 1 funds are assigned to school districts under the No Child Left Behind Act. Title 1 lists 12 objectives basically aimed at giving poor, low-scoring or disadvantaged children an equal opportunity to achieve and to score well on standardized tests.

“This is an outrageous abuse of the public trust,” Gordon’s attorney, Christopher M. Manganello, said in a statement released to The Times by his Pitman office.

“I call for a full audit of all Title 1 moneys spent under the watch of Kozak. No stone should be left unturned.”

The suit alleges that Kozak told Gordon to use the Title 1 funds for the dissertation, and to state the funds were being used on “a study for the district.”

It also claims that Kozak “purposely misrepresented facts and circumstances in order to wrongfully lay blame for his mistakes on (Gordon).”

Gordon was fired from her job Nov. 20, 2009, the suit says, not only because she wouldn’t misappropriate the Title 1 money, but also because Kozak thought she was the author of an anonymous letter to Rowan alleging those funds were abused as such.

Among other allegations, Gordon also claims the board of education and Kozak discussed “Plaintiff’s employment” without notifying her, in violation of state law.

Rowan spokesman Joe Cardona said an anonymous letter making allegations concerning the dissertation would not in itself mean rejection of Kozak’s work.

A committee of three faculty members evaluates the study and ensures that subjects are treated ethically, among other standards, he said.

In short, the committee makes sure “all the I’s are dotted and all the T’s are crossed,” Cardona said.

As for improper use of federal funds, that can be different matter, and up to interpretation of No Child Left Behind. Manganello, Gordon’s attorney, claims Kozak stretched the law quite a bit.

School district officials on Thursday said they hadn’t been served with the complaint.

Before coming to Franklin, Kozak was superintendent for the Clementon school district from 2005 to 2007.

After coming to Franklin, he was a proponent of the recent reconfiguration of grade three through six schools. Also under his leadership, the district commissioned a feasibility study on consolidating the area’s three elementary and high school districts.

That study, unveiled in 2010, explored ways to merge Franklin, Delsea Regional and Elk school districts.